%% Image and caption selected per Image Pickin' thread: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1390096650064955700%% Please do not replace or remove either without starting a new thread.%%[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_hhh_8618.jpg]][[caption-width-right:350:Lois Lane, a lovely lady who lands leads, looks for love in lofty latitudes, and [[ActionGirl laughs]] at [[DamselInDistress liability.]]]]

Lois Lane is a reporter and the main {{Love Interest|s}} of Franchise/{{Superman}}. She continues to be an inextricable part of the Superman mythos and appears in virtually every versions of the character, be it comics, movies or animations. Lois first appeared in ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' #1 (June, 1938), the first published Superman story. She was one of the very first female comic book characters appearing in American superhero comic books.

Lois is a career-driven, IntrepidReporter who speaks her mind and goes for [[GoingForTheBigScoop the big scoop]] regardless of the dangers. Her creator Jerry Siegel said he based Lois on the film character Torchy Blane and actress Lola Lane. Her first series, during UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks in the 1940s, was ''Lois Lane, Girl Reporter'', which appeared in the Superman comic book and had her defeating bad guys and getting front page stories on her own.

In UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks, Lois had her own standalone comic book series titled ''Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane'', which lasted for 137 issues from 1958 to 1974. The series focused on Lois' adventures and romances and had a very humorous tone, her character becoming less serious and focusing a lot more on romances with Superman or others. Her suspicion that Clark Kent is Superman and her attempt to prove it greatly increased during this period. An adult version of the character ComicBook/LanaLang was also introduced to the book. In some of the stories she became a superhero herself, but only briefly or in imaginary stories that [[WhatIf were not intended as part of the official canon]]. Come the 1970s, the series attempted to modernize Lois by having her be more career orientated, no longer interested in romances, with the stories tackling more serious subjects.

In 1974, the series, along with ''Superman's Pal, Comicbook/JimmyOlsen'' and ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'', was moved into the ''Superman Family'' comic series, where Lois got to strut her stuff in her own stories as an ActionGirl reporter who managed to [[GoingForTheBigScoop get the big scoops]] while taking down bad guys without Superman's help throughout the '70s and early '80s.

In the Modern Age comics, much like the Golden Age, Lois was portrayed as a tough-as-nails reporter. In the 1990s, Clark and Lois began a long term romantic relationship in canon, with Clark proposing to Lois and revealing his identity as Superman to her. After a long engagement, which was delayed by ''ComicBook/TheDeathofSuperman'', Clark and Lois were finally married in the 1996 comic book special, ''ComicBook/SupermanTheWeddingAlbum''. The '90s Superman television ''[[Series/LoisAndClark Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman]]'' mirrored the comics with the couple also married on the show. This status quo remained throughout the '00s until the CosmicRetcon of ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}, which erased the marriage and had them seeing other people. However, the miniseries ''ComicBook/SupermanLoisAndClark'' reintroduced the pre-Flashpoint married Lois and Clark to the main DCU alongside their post-Flashpoint counterparts.

Lois once again seemingly got her own comic series, ''ComicBook/{{Superwoman}}'', as part of 2016's ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'', in which [[EmpoweredBadassNormal the post-Flashpoint Lois gained Superman's powers]], becoming a superhero and protecting Metropolis. However, she died in the first issue leaving Lana Lang, who also gained powers, to take on the mantle of Superwoman.The pre-Flashpoint version, instead, live with her husband Clark and now have a son, Jonathan Samuel Kent, who was born in the ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' event, appeared with his parents in ''ComicBook/SupermanLoisAndClark'' and eventually became ComicBook/{{Superboy}}.

Lois has appeared in multiple Superman adaptations in different media. Her first appearance was in the 1940s radio series ''The Adventures of Superman'', with others including the 1940s Fleischer WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons, the 1950s television series ''[[Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperman Adventures of Superman]]'', the 1978-1987 ''Film/{{Superman| The Movie}}'' film series played by actress Margot Kidder, The ''Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse'' voiced by Creator/DanaDelany (beginning with the 1990s ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''), the 2000s ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' television series, and various other Superman films, TV series and cartoons.

Lois also stars in a series of young adult novels written by Gwenda Bond:* ''Lois Lane: Fallout'' (2015)* "Cloudy with a Chance of Destruction" (2015), a short story* "A Real Work of Art" (2015), a short story* ''Lois Lane: Double Down'' (2016)* ''Lois Lane: Triple Threat'' (2017)

----!!Lois Lane gives us:

* ActionDressRip: A story has Lois did it with a ''wedding dress'' while [[BloodstainedGlassWindows shooting up a church]] at her undercover wedding to a drug lord. And then storms into the Daily Planet like that to re-accept Clark's marriage proposal. No-one at the Planet [[SeenItAll really notices,]] because Lois [[IntrepidReporter has a certain reputation]] [[WeirdnessMagnet for pulling this kind of crazy shit twice a month]], and [[CityOfAdventure Metropolis is wild and crazy like that.]] Hell, their high schools' PE classes probably teach the art of the action dress rip regularly, in case Superman and an army of Nazi mecha-ninjas suddenly fall through the ceiling during your black-tie prom and you [[EverybodyWasKungFuFighting find yourself in need of throwing around some kung fu.]] It's just basic common sense.* ActionGirl: The Golden Age and Modern Age comic versions of Lois Lane portray her as a tough-as-nails reporter, strong and aggressive. In ''Rebirth'', she sneaks into Logamba, a country ruled by a military dictator, alone in order to free her imprisoned father, kicking the asses of every person who got in her way and using her reporter connections to get to where she needs to go. Her plan goes off without a hitch until she's cornered by a soldier armed with a submachine gun. Luckily for Lois, her son had tailed her and quickly disarmed the soldier with his heat vision, allowing her to quickly incapacitate her foe.* ActionMom: Pre-Flashpoint Lois in ''ComicBook/DCRebirth''. Special mention when she put Batman's old Hellbat Armor to protect her son from the the Eradicator.* AdultsDressedAsChildren: An ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' story from UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks, titled "Fairlyland Isle", featured ComicBook/LoisLane disguising herself as a little girl, wearing a sailor suit, GirlishPigtails, and [[{{Meganekko}} glasses]]. [[http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/12/13/i-love-ya-but-youre-strange-is-that-lois-lane-or-a-little-girl-i-cant-tell-the-difference/ Details here.]]* AlliterativeName: It led to the trend of many of the Superman supporting characters having the initials "LL".* AndNowYouMustMarryMe: In the 1960s UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks had her in these. She is inexplicably [[{{Chickification}} transformed]] from an ambitious, independent career woman to someone whose [[AcceptableFeminineGoalsAndTraits primary goal in life was discovering Superman's secret identity and using it to blackmail him into marrying her]]. This was especially bad in her own comic, ''Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane''.* BabiesEverAfter: In ''Comicbook/{{Convergence}}'', the pre-Flaspoint Superman and Lois have their first baby and name him after Clark's father, Jon.* BadassNormal: Very much so. She's a crusading idealist who works as a reporter to bring down corrupt elements, and she's got the martial arts skills to back up her idealism. Lois is frequently shown to be courageous and often refuses to be intimidated by supervillains, resulting in several [=CMOAs=] for her over the years, one notable one being in WesternAnimation/SupermanUnbound when Brainiac is monologuing about how insignificant Earth and its people seem to him, and Lois responds simply by giving Brainiac the finger, much to his confusion. * BaldWomen:** This once happened in combination with MyBrainIsBig: [[http://www.politedissent.com/archives/615 here.]]** Another Silver Age tale had Lois under the effect of Red Kryptonite, making her a monster under certain circumstances. One time, she turns into a monster after her sister Lucy brushes her hair and goes asleep. Monster-Lois uses a pair of scissors and hacks off all of Lucy's hair, leaving Lucy with a bald head ''sans big brain.''* BettyAndVeronica: In Silver Age, ComicBook/LoisLane was somewhat Veronica-ish compared to Clark's childhood sweetheart ComicBook/LanaLang. In the early modern continuity, Lois, a brassy investigative journalist who wouldn't give Clark the time of day romantically, was the Veronica, while sensitive, feminine, openly-in-love-with-Clark Cat Grant was clearly the Betty.** Reversed with Lois (now portrayed a sensible no-nonsense reporter) and Cat (vain and demanding gossip columnist) as respectively the Betty and the Veronica in ''ComicBook/SupermanSecretOrigin'', which once again re-established Superman's origin in the post-Infinite Crisis continuity.** And later, after Lois fell in love with Clark and discovered his secret identity, she viewed Wonder Woman as the Veronica on several occasions. This was an unfounded worry on her part though, since Supes and Wondy are LikeBrotherAndSister...although not in the ComicBook/New52.* BigBraToFill: Lois has been played by actors with different physiques and various hair colors (See: Noel Neill, Margot Kidder, Creator/TeriHatcher, Dana Delany, Creator/EricaDurance and Creator/AmyAdams).* BlackLikeMe: One of the more notorious stories, "I Am Curious, Black" has Lois being turned into a black woman (with a big afro) to see what the African American experience is like. It ''could'' have been a powerful story, but it was patronizing and superficial.* BrainyBrunette[=/=]FieryRedhead: She has both the brains and the attitude and has been depicted as ''both'' over the years, though jet black hair is her most common look.* BunnyEarsLawyer: Terrible at spelling, to a mild degree, a running gag throughout several of the media she has appeared in, despite her fame and success as a newspaper journalist. * TheBusCameBack: Lana Lang in the comics.* CaptainErsatz: While Lois has been endlessly homaged and parodied, most people don't know that she was based on a 1930s movie character called Torchy.* CharacterShilling: Post-Crisis, Lois got a lot of free shilling from most characters having anything to do with her, praising Clark Kent for having such a wonderful wife. * CharacterizationMarchesOn: Golden Age Lois was a lot more level-headed in early stories, occasionally getting herself out of trouble before Superman could do it. {{Chickification}} set in the Silver Age and {{Xenafication}} in the Modern Age. Lois as she is now is actually quite accurate to the [[LongRunners day-one character]]. * {{Chickification}}: The Silver Age incarnation. After the more intrepid Golden Age incarnation, conservative values influenced by UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode set in, so she went from being a somewhat bitter rival to Clark to being more focused on getting Superman to marry her.* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: In UsefulNotes/{{the Golden Age|of Comic Books}} comics, Lois had a young niece named Susie Thompkins, whose shtick was getting into trouble by telling fibs. Susie's last appearance was in the mid-50s; a few years later, Lois' (unmarried) sole sibling Lucy Lane was introduced, and Susie was never seen again, save a few appearances in the "Mr. and Mrs. Superman" stories of TheSeventies. There, she's shown as the daughter of Earth-Two's married Lucy Lane Thompkins.** When DC launched their ComicBook/New52 program, Lois and Clark's relationship was retconned out of existence (to make room for a romance between Superman and ComicBook/WonderWoman) and Lois had a new boyfriend named Jonathan Carroll. He disappeared sometime prior to the [[ComicBook/SupermanTruth "Truth"]] arc, and as of ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' Lois and Clark are very much together. * ClingyJealousGirl: Silver-Age Lois and Lana, though not Lori.* CosmicPlaything: As with Jimmy, some of the things Lois experienced happened because she was connected to Superman... and others just happened out of nowhere.* DamselInDistress: The major example in the superhero world. To the point of some meta jokes about it, and some savvy comments. Several of the versions of Lois (from comic to cartoon and films) have needed to be saved by Superman. * DamselOutOfDistress: She provides the page image. This is a woman who gets caught by villains all the frickin' time, but only because she knows that if she does so, she'll not only get the scoop on the front page story, but also somehow survive to write it. And not just by getting rescued — if Superman doesn't know/is depowered/is busy, she'll pretend to fall in love with the drug lord who captured her, then blast herself out of their wedding, veil, gown, and all, with a {{Mook}}'s stolen machine gun.** Even in the early days, Lois had quite the nerve. In some of the earliest Fleischer cartoons (now public domain) she pulls such stunts as trying to sabotage a getaway vehicle, climbing onto the back of a mechanical monster to see where it was going, blasting away with a submachine gun at would-be train robbers, and disguising herself as a Nazi to warn the American fleet of a U-boat threat (well, it WAS the early forties).* ADeathInTheLimelight: [[spoiler: After spending five years in the New 52 as a supporting character, Lois becomes a superhero and finally gets a spotlight with her first ongoing title ... only to die in the first issue]].* DecoyProtagonist: [[spoiler: The marketing ahead of ''ComicBook/{{Superwoman}}'' first issue led readers to believe it would be about Lois Lane (New 52 version). It's pretty safe to say nobody was expecting Lois to be dead by the first issue's end]].* DeadpanSnarker: From day one.-->'''Clark:''' Why is it you always avoid me at the office?\\'''Lois:''' Please Clark! I've been scribbling "sob stories" all day long. Don't ask me to dish out another.--->--''Action Comics #1'' (June 1938)* DerailingLoveInterests: If it is an [[AlternateUniverse Elseworld story]], you can bet this is what happens to Lois, that is [[DeathOfTheHypotenuse if she isn't just killed off.]]* DistressBall: Oh so very often. She [[GoingForTheBigScoop followed her journalistic instincts]] into danger so frequently it's a miracle she ever survived before having the personal attentions of a PhysicalGod (aka ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'').* EstablishingCharacterMoment: In her very first appearance Lois: reluctantly went out on a date with Clark, got annoyed that Clark didn't stand up to a mobster that was bullying them, slapped the mobster herself, got promptly kidnapped by the mobster, and was rescued by Superman. A rather good overview of what her life would be like for the rest of her existence.* FriendlyEnemy: Pre-Crisis, Lois and Lana were usually very good-natured about their love rivalry with each other.* GoingForTheBigScoop: Frequently. She is a reporter after all. * HalfHumanHybrid: Lois and Clark's son [[HumanMomNonHumanDad Jonathan]].* HappilyMarried: To Clark Kent/Superman in the Post-Crisis timeline.** In ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'', Norman noted that even though Lois was famously a very independent woman, she would still tell people "Well, Clark thinks..." Not because he was a crutch, but because she loved her husband that much.* HenpeckedHusband: What Superman becomes in some of the [[WhatIf Imaginary Stories]]. * HiddenHeartOfGold: (she is fiercely loyal, after all). She does often attempt to hide her softer side, but the truth is she's willing to go to the ends of the earth to fight for justice and protect the people she loves.* InformedAttribute: Lois's skills and reputation as an unstoppable and awesome reporter are strangely absent in some incarnations. * InterspeciesRomance: With Clark Kent/Superman. Clark is a Kryptonian and Lois is a human. * IntrepidReporter: Much more intrepid in the Modern Age, but to an extent in the old stories as well.* LiteralSplitPersonality: [[spoiler:Mr. Mxyzptlk reveals in ''ComicBook/SupermanReborn'' the pre-''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' and ''New 52'' Lois are actually two halves of the same person. They merge back together in the end.]]* LivingEmotionalCrutch: Many modern takes on Lois portray her as serving this for Superman showing that he would fall apart, go insane or evil without her. ** This arguably began with ''Film/SupermanTheMovie'' where the finale showed that Superman would rather disregard his father's advice and turn back time then live without Lois.** The ''Franchise/{{DCAU}}'' had one alternate universe, ''Brave New Metropolis'' presented that without Lois, Superman would become a KnightTemplar puppet of Lex Luthor. When Prime!Lois accidentally visits this world, she sneers at this trope by mocking AU!Superman, "Look at you now, married to Luthor". A later AU however averts this, ''A Better World'' shows Justice Lord!Superman becoming a dictator while keeping Lois under house arrest. ** ''ComicBook/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'' takes this to the extreme with Injustice!Supes becoming a DarthVaderClone in grief over [[spoiler:The Joker making him accidentally kill a pregnant Lois]].** ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' has Superman telling Lois that she is "my world" and [[spoiler:a vision by Batman shows that in a BadFuture, Superman becomes a dictator in grief over losing Lois]]. * TheLoad: Every now and then but by far, most of this Lois trope is concentrated around [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks the Silver Age]].* LovesMyAlterEgo: A RunningGag during [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks the Golden Age]] and -- mainly -- [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks the Silver Age]]. In fact, her Silver Age's iteration currently provides the page image of this trope.* LovingAShadow: Her infatuation with Superman often looked like this in UsefulNotes/{{the Golden Age|of Comic Books}} and UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} and even a little bit into UsefulNotes/{{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}}. * MamaBear: She proves to be this with her son Jonathan - when the Eradicator tries to kill him because of his half-Kryptonian[=/=]half-Human nature, Lois ends up discovering Batman's Hellbat Armor, a suit of armor designed to go toe-to-toe with friggin' ''Darkseid'', and using it to pummel the construct. Hell, Lois name drops the trope herself in this scene:-->'''Lois:''' There's some facts about Earth you need to learn... never mess with the baby bear when the mama bear is around.** When Poison Ivy has Jon barricaded in the barn with her after incapacitating Clark, Bruce, and Diana with the White Mercy plant, Lois ''rams the door down with a truck.''* MilitaryBrat: Ever since the mid-1980's reboot this has been a key part of her characterization, as it provides a backstory, a source for her ActionGirl badassery, and plenty of dramatic tension between her, her strict father General Lane, and her sister Lucy (who often sides with the General over Lois). In many stories, Lois's military friends and the knowledge she gained about military protocols often come in handy for stories she's chasing as well. * NeverBeAHero:** If she gets superpowers in a story, she'll be back to normal by the end.** The Lois of the ComicBook/New52 gained Superman's powers after ''[[ComicBook/SupermanSuperLeague The Final Days of Superman]]'', and even got her own title, ''ComicBook/{{Superwoman}}''. [[spoiler:[[DecoyProtagonist She's dead by]] [[FirstEpisodeSpoiler the end of the first issue]], as Lana Lang is the true protagonist]].* OfficialCouple: With Superman in the ComicBook/PostCrisis timeline. Notably, she didn't find out that Clark was Superman until they were already engaged.* ParentalSubstitute: Earth-2 Lois Lane became this to Comicbook/PowerGirl when she and Clark took the young Kryptonian woman in. Post-Crisis Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} also became kind of a daughter to Lois.* PictorialSpeechBubble: In one story, when she's undercover as the bride of a notorious criminal and talking sultrily to him, [[SayItWithHearts her entire speech balloon is a pink heart]].* PrettyInMink: Has worn a few fur coats over the years, including in some Christmas issues.* PurpleIsPowerful: Starting since ''[[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries The Animated Series]]'', Lois in both the comics and in animation is nearly always depicted as having [[PurpleEyes violet/purple eyes]], and most appearances also have her wearing something that is [[ColorMotif purple or lavender]].** The latter about wearing purple enters into ContrivedCoincidence at times, like when Lois gained acceptance into [[Characters/NewGodsApokolips Granny Goodness' Female Furies]] while marooned on Apokolips during ''Imperious Lex'', and Granny happened to have purple armor available after another Fury's death.* RealAwardFictionalCharacter: She's almost always introduced as a Pulitzer Prize recipient.* TheRevealPromptsRomance: With Superman, in some continuities, at least. ** In the ComicBook/PostCrisis timeline, she was already engaged to Clark Kent when he gave her TheReveal.* TheRival: She considers Clark Kent to be her rival as the Daily Planet's star reporter, which is especially apparent in the early Golden Age stories.* SayItWithHearts: There's one story where she goes undercover as the bride of a notorious criminal. When she's talking sultrily to him, [[PictorialSpeechBubble her entire speech balloon is a pink heart]].* SealedEvilInACan: [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Lois let these out quite often]], [[TookALevelInDumbass in spite of repeatedly being]] [[DontTouchItYouIdiot told not to]], [[AesopAmnesia even after all the other times she'd done it]].* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: Lois in the Modern Age is in love with Clark not because he is Superman, but because he is a sweet, kind-hearted farmboy from Kansas.* SplitPersonalityMerge: [[spoiler:At the end of ''Superman Reborn'', the pre-''Flashpoint'' and ''[=N52=]'' Lois combine into a single, complete version of Lois Lane; ensuring her integration into the new DC Universe.]]* StalkerWithACrush: During UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}}, intentionally or not. Modern writers have struggled ever since to push her away from that. * {{Superdickery}}: Sometimes she was the victim, and sometimes she was the instigator, but Lois is a TropeCodifier.* TakeUpMySword: New-52 Lois sees her new superpowered self in ''ComicBook/{{Superwoman}}'' as an opportunity to honor the late Clark's legacy.* TheyDo: With Superman or other comic characters.* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Her main point of contrast to her sister Lucy.* TooDumbToLive: [[GoingForTheBigScoop Thanks to her fondness for]] getting a front page story, and always having Superman to back her up if/when she needs it. Sometimes it's shown that she takes these risks because she knows she has backups, or [[DamselOutOfDistress can handle herself just fine.]] And sometimes she puts herself into these situations because a hostage can get the best details of what the criminals and supervillains are up to.* TransformationComic: Often rivaled the ComicBook/JimmyOlsen comics for this.* {{Tsundere}}: Many incarnations of Lois over the years could be called tsundere. Superman almost always gets the dere side and everyone else gets mostly tsun, but there's overlap; once she's known Clark for a while, she tends to be about half-and-half with him. ** Now she's been married to Clark in the comics for fifteen years, he and Perry and Jimmy have exclusive rights to her dere side while everyone else gets her (genuinely intimidating) tsun side. * UndyingLoyalty: Towards Superman and her family and friends. * UnresolvedSexualTension: With Superman or Clark Kent in several incarnations and comics. * VitriolicBestBuds: In those continuities where she doesn't know Clark Kent and Superman are the same, she is usually this to Clark, enjoying a very friendly workplace rivalry with him and chastising him for his timidity. In the early [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] her dislike for Clark was genuine but their relationship quickly evolved into this trope. Later, more often in the post-crisis stories this went even further as her teasing covered up a massive crush on Clark.* WeakWilled: During {{UsefulNotes/The Golden Age|OfComicBooks}} she was [[HypnotizeThePrincess frequently hypnotised]]. Oddly this was much more a trait of the Golden Age Lois who was assertive and had a very strong personality than {{UsefulNotes/The Silver Age|OfComicBooks}}'s less feisty version.* WeirdnessMagnet: As much as Jimmy Olsen. Been aged prematurely, forced to marry a gorilla, and much, much more.* WellDoneSonGuy: Well, "Well Done, Daughter" Gal, actually. Lois had this relationship with her father Sam Post-Crisis. He wanted a son, badly.* {{Xenafication}}: Starting at least since the late 1970s in ''Superman Family'', when Lois starting kicking bad guy ass quite well in her solo stories without Superman around.* YoungerThanTheyLook: In live action adaptations Lois has been played by actress slightly older than the actor playing Clark Kent despite the two characters being roughly the same age, or, as was the case in Donnerverse films, Lois being the younger one[[note]]A scene deleted from the theatrical cut of ''Film/{{Superman}}'' (but present in the DVD and television cut) has a teenage Clark run pass a train with a pre-teen Lois on board.[[/note]]. This is probably to reflect her hardbitten, StreetSmart reporter persona against Clark's farmboy naivete.